Mr KP Mangoes look amazing with their blushed yellow-orange skin but did you know that colour is not necessarily the best indicator of mango ripeness?

Here are four things to look for when selecting the perfect mango.

Touch

Grasp the mango and squeeze very gently. For a mango that’s ripe and ready to eat, the flesh should give slightly, similar to an avocado or nectarine, and should not feel soft or mushy. If you’re wanting to save it for a couple of days, go for a mango that still feels firm. Mangoes ripen quickly, so a firm mango will mean you can store it longer.

Smell

Kensington Prides have a distinctive mango-y aroma. Smell close to the stem to test for a rich, fruity, sweet and fragrant scent. In general, if it smells appealing and makes you want to eat it, that’s a good sign. If there is little to no smell it may be too green and you should test for other signs of ripeness; while an earthy, sour, or slightly alcoholic odour means it’s probably overripe.

Shape

Mr KP Mangoes are of the Kensington Pride variety, and should have an ovate shape with plump flesh (especially close to the stem) and no wrinkled or shrivelled skin.

Colour

Mr KP Mangoes have yellow skin, with an orange-red blush. An ideal Mr KP mango should have some of this colour, but don’t rely on this alone. Some perfectly ripe mangoes may still have a slight green tinge, while others may have very small brown spots. Similarly, too many brown spots may mean it’s overripe, while being too green could mean it still needs time to ripen, so always test for other factors too.

Mango storage is different, depending on the ripeness of the fruit. First, check whether your Mr KP mango is ready to eat, then follow these storage instructions.

If your mango needs to ripen

Mangoes will ripen best when stored at a moderate cool room temperature and should not be refrigerated at this stage as it may disrupt the ripening process. Ripening may occur over several days but can sometimes be accelerated depending on the age of the fruit and the temperature of the room. Check your Mr KP mangoes daily to see whether they’ve ripened. You can speed up the process by placing the mango in a paper bag.

If your mango is ripe and ready to eat

Mr KP mangoes should always be eaten as soon as they are perfectly ripe. If you need to keep them a little longer, transfer them to the fridge to slow the ripening process. They can last for up to four days when stored whole in the fridge or up to six months if peeled, cubed and stored in the freezer.

There are several methods for cutting a mango with all of them quick and easy!

Here’s how we like to cut our Mr KP mangoes in six easy steps.

#1 Rinse then slice through the curvature of the mango either side of the pit.

#2 Without cutting through the skin, slice each half length-ways then cross-ways.

#3 Use a spoon to scoop the mango from the skin.

#4 Remove the remaining mango by slicing around the pit.

#5 Remove the skin with a knife then slice the flesh into chunks.

#6 Serve in a bowl and eat fresh — or experiment with one of our great Mr KP mango recipes.